[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 167 (Monday, August 31, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 44727]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20939]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 167 / Monday, August 31, 2009 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 44727]]



FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

12 CFR Part 604

RIN 3052-AC58


Farm Credit Administration Board Meetings; Sunshine Act

AGENCY: Farm Credit Administration.

ACTION: Direct final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Farm Credit Administration (FCA or we) issues this direct 
final rule amending our regulation on meeting announcements to provide 
greater flexibility to the FCA Board in scheduling meetings.

DATES: The regulation shall become effective upon the expiration of 30 
days after publication in the Federal Register during which either or 
both Houses of Congress are in session. We will publish notice of the 
effective date in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michael Wilson, Policy Analyst, Office of Regulatory Policy, Farm 
Credit Administration, McLean, VA 22102-5090, (703) 883-4124, TTY (703) 
883-4434; or
Mary Alice Donner, Senior Attorney, Office of General Counsel, Farm 
Credit Administration, McLean, VA 22102-5090, (703) 883-4033, TTY (703) 
883-4020.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Farm Credit Administration Board (Board) 
holds its regularly scheduled meeting on the second Thursday of each 
month. Occasionally, matters may require the Board to reschedule the 
monthly meeting or to hold meetings between its regularly scheduled 
monthly meetings. We are amending Sec.  604.425 to provide the Board 
greater flexibility in rescheduling meetings or holding additional 
meetings. The current rule provides that the Board may fix a different 
time and place for a meeting only at an earlier regularly scheduled 
meeting. The new rule removes this constraint and allows the Board to 
set a time and place for a meeting by public announcement in accordance 
with the Government in the Sunshine Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b.
    We are amending Sec.  604.425 by a direct final rulemaking. Because 
Sec.  604.425 is a rule of agency procedure not requiring notice and 
comment (5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A)), the amendment is adopted as a direct 
final rule without notice and comment. We will publish notice of the 
effective date of the rule following the required congressional waiting 
period under section 5.17(c)(1) of the Farm Credit Act of 1971, as 
amended.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Pursuant to section 605(b) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the FCA hereby certifies that this rule will not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities. Each of the banks in the System, considered together with its 
affiliated associations, has assets and annual income in excess of the 
amounts that would qualify them as small entities. Therefore, System 
institutions are not ``small entities'' as defined in the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act.

List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 604

    Sunshine Act.

0
For the reasons stated in the preamble, part 604 of chapter VI, title 
12 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows:

PART 604--FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION BOARD MEETINGS

0
1. The authority citation for part 604 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: Secs. 5.9, 5.17 of the Farm Credit Act; 12 U.S.C. 
2243, 2252.


0
2. Section 604.425 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  604.425  Announcement of Meetings.

    (a) The Board meets in the offices of the Farm Credit 
Administration, McLean, Virginia 22102-5090, on the second Thursday of 
each month, unless the Board fixes a different time and/or place for a 
meeting and follows the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.
    (b)(1) The Farm Credit Administration shall make available for 
public inspection the time, place, and subject matter of the meeting, 
and whether it is to be open or closed, by posting notice on its public 
notice board or on its public Web site except to the extent that such 
information is exempt from disclosure under the provisions of Sec.  
604.420 of this part. The public announcement must be made at least 1 
week before the meeting, unless a majority of the FCA Board determines 
by a recorded vote that agency business requires that a meeting be 
called on lesser notice, in which case the announcement shall be made 
at the earliest practicable time.
    (2) Once a meeting has been announced, the time, place, and subject 
matter of the meeting and whether it is open or closed to the public 
may be changed following the requirements of the Government in the 
Sunshine Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b.

    Dated: August 26, 2009.
Roland E. Smith,
Secretary, Farm Credit Administration Board.
[FR Doc. E9-20939 Filed 8-28-09; 8:45 am]
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